


Bad At Love

by Noblefloweroll



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Slow Burn, Song fic - kinda, mentioned kurotsuki, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-08 00:10:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13446360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noblefloweroll/pseuds/Noblefloweroll
Summary: As Akaashi Keiji struggles to fight off his past, he runs into Bokuto who he hasn't seen since college. With the help of him, he finds his life falling back into place even as part Bokuto's life is falling apart.AKA: Bokuto and Akaashi are going through some shit with ex's and they help each other and fall back in love in the process.I'm bad summaries, sorry.





	1. Impossible Year

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6XHLcIGESY
> 
> So all of these chapters will be based off a song. This chapter didn't really match with much but I like this song.

Thirteen days. It had been that long since Akaashi Keiji had seen Seth Long. Sitting a small, hole in the wall, sushi place with music playing gently through his earbuds was the first time he felt safe in the last two weeks. He had found this place by accident a week prior and he would be damned if Seth was able to figure out here was there. With a plate of sushi in front of him and a cup of tea in his hand, Akaashi felt…secure. No threats, no looming fear of running into the man who had taken all he was and tore him apart. Taking a drink, he shook the thought from his head before typing out an email on his phone to his mother. 

_Mom,_

_I’m okay. I haven’t heard from him almost two weeks. I think he gave up. I miss you. Give my love to Dad and Grandma. Will call soon._

_With love,  
Keiji. _

He knew he should say more but he was at a loss for words at the moment. He saved it as a draft. Sitting back in the booth, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was not okay, he was scared out of his mind that at any moment, the man he feared most could come out of nowhere. He was scared that his savings and part-time job at Target wouldn’t support his standard of living. He was scared that no hospital would ever hire him again. These thoughts haunted him every day. The unease lead to sleepless nights and panicked breathing. Akaashi was cut off from his thoughts as he felt a shift in the table in front him. He opened his eyes and was greeted with a smile from the man in front of him. “Come here often, ‘Kaashi?” 

For a moment, he was shocked to see who was sitting in front of him, but a small smile perched itself on his lips. “Bokuto-san. It’s good to see you again.” Bokuto laughed and stood, pulling the other to his feet and bringing him into a bear hug. “Hey, hey, hey!” He pulled back and looked over the slightly shorter male before sitting back down. “It’s been too long, Akaashi! You dropped off the face of the planet! Running into you, here of all places, is like a miracle.”“Your English has improved, Bokuto-san.”  
“Kou. I’ve assimilated.”  
“Bokuto-san.”  
“Akaashhiiiii” He whined, a small pout on his lips. “You’re no fun.” He crossed his arms and looked away. Akaashi couldn’t help but chuckle. He had missed his friend. “What have you been up to?” The older male asked, eyes focused on the raven; had it been anyone else looking at him like that, Akaashi would have cringed under the attention. Bokuto picked up a pair of chopsticks and began to eat when the other pushed the plate towards him.

Akaashi sighed a bit and put away his phone and earbuds. “My life isn’t important. I haven’t seen you since college. How’s pro volleyball treating you?” Bokuto’s eyes brightened up and he smiled widely, “Great! I’m one of the top three spikers in the country, take that Tsukishima…” Akaashi’s body relaxed and his worries melted away as he listened to Bokuto animatedly tell him about his team, the games, and of course, the great places he visited. “But really, Akaashi… I was worried about you. No one had heard from you since after I left… I had to contact your mom to make sure you were okay but she was about as lost as I was…” the atmosphere changed, and Akaashi could tell that his senior wouldn’t drop the subject. He sighed deeply, “I got into some shit, Bo… I just, I ran away from a lot of things. I really don’t want to talk about it.” Admittedly, telling someone, no matter who it was, about his problems could have saved him from a lot of things over the course of the last three years. But, hindsignt was always twenty-twenty. The twenty-four-year-old chided to himself before the other spoke. “’Kaashi, if you need anything, ever, please don’t run from me. You’ve been my best friend since high school. I’ll never judge you. I’m always here to help.” The raven smiled at the other’s words, “Thank you, Bokuto-san. I’ll keep that in mind.” The conversation had continued on from there and Bokuto had begun talking non-stop about his life and his new apartment that he just moved into. Akaashi listened, nodding and humming when appropriate. It had been a while since he had been able to relax like this, and it was only right for that moment to be in the presence of Bokuto Koutarou. 

The bell to the shop dinged and Akaashi looked to the door from habit. His skin went cold and clammy, and suddenly he had ducked his head a bit. When his guest noticed, he raised a brow and was about to speak when he was cut off “Hush. I’m not here.” Steel blue eyes kept an eye on the door as the red head who had come into the shop looked around and then left. “What the hell was that, Akaashi?” Bokuto asked, head whipping back to the door of the shop to watch the stranger leave. “Someone I’m trying to avoid.” The other admitted and sat up straight up, nerves flaring back up. Bouto pulled out a card and wrote his number and address on the back of it. “I don’t know who he was, ‘Kaashi, but if your reaction is anything to go by, if you’re in trouble, you come find me.” He slid the card over and the younger male stared at it for a second. Given the chance, he would have denied and excused himself to pay his bill, but Bokuto would have no such reaction. “Please.” His voice was honest and his eyes showed more worry than Akaashi had ever seen. 

Nodding, he took the card and put it in his wallet, noting a phone number and an address, before checking his watch. “I have to get to work, Bokuto-san. I’m glad I was able to see you. Please, keep in touch.” He grabbed the bill on the table and went to stand. As he began to walk away, Bokuto grabbed the slip of paper, “I pay for this if you promise to let me keep in touch.”

~

It’s ten at night when Akaashi jiggled the sticky door to his apartment open. As soon as he entered, something didn’t feel right. He turned on the light and looked around. His breath caught when someone looked up at him from the couch. This someone, with red hair and piercing blue eyes, stood to reveal a long, black bar of metal dangling from his hands. “Keiji, my darling. So good to see you again.” 

Immediately, all color drained from Akaashi’s face as he froze. “H-how did you get in here?” He asked, arm moving back to try and find the door knob. His shaking hand faltered but he took a step back to try and find it again. The red head in front of him took a step closer. “I have my ways, Keiji...” he tutted softly as he stepped closer again, closing the distance between them. A tan finger dragged itself down Akaashi’s jaw before the arm hauled back and landed its knuckles on his cheek.

Akaashi stumbled back against the door, gritting his teeth and holding back tears as blood slowly trickled out of his nose. Again, that hand cupped his face and piercing eyes glared at him. “Keiji... you got me in a lot of trouble with a lot of people.” Seth sneered, lips curling up in a devilish grin. “Now, there’s a lot of money on the line for me and all I have to do is...” he tapped the crowbar on Akaashi’s trembling knees as he spoke “Break your fucking legs.”


	2. Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nXLWDqQTYU
> 
>  
> 
> Posting may be slow because I just started a new semester and I'm taking like three composition courses. Thanks for your patience  
> \\(^-^)/

Breath caught in the raven’s throat, fear setting in, but he still managed to croak out, “Seth... Seth don’t do this...” he pled. The look in the elder male’s eyes showed that he was sober. There goes trying to trick him. “Oh, but I have to. Because if I don’t, I’m 10,000 dollars, and possibly my life, short.” 

The redhead took a step back and twirled the rod of metal in his hands, “Sorry, Keiji. But you dug your own grave. Time to lie in it.” And with that, he pulled the bar back over his head, aiming to strike. Quicker than light, Akaashi reached for the closest item, an umbrella, and swung it, hitting Seth between the legs. Without pausing, He reached for the door and opened it up. Running down the stairs, his heart pounded in his chest as he heard the other male yelling and a door slamming. 

_Shit, shit, shit. Where do I go? Work? No, he knows where that is. James? No. Andrews? Fuck._

“Get back here, you bastard!!” Was called behind him. Akaashi sucked down a corner and held his breath as Seth ran past. Suddenly, he remembered the card Bokuto had given him and pulled it out of his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the name of the apartment building. He smiled to himself. He knew exactly where it was. Continuing on behind buildings he slowed to a hurried walk. There was the sound of metal on brick and he froze. “You can run but you can’t hide, Keiji.” Akaashi broke into a sprint, taking a turn back to the sidewalk and kept going in the direction he was headed. It didn’t take long before he had outrun Seth by enough to have him out of his sights. As he turned a corner, he was met with a tall building looming like a haven in front of him. “KEIIIJIII!” He heard a yell before he saw him. As he reached the gate, he looked behind him and saw Seth a few blocks down the street, running. 

~

“What do you mean he “got into some shit”?”  
“I don’t know, that’s all he said.” Bokuto answered, taking a drink of his water as he sprawled out on the couch. “Ugh, close your legs, Bokuto. I don’t wanna see that.” Tsukishima complained, covering both his and Kuroo’s eyes. “Kei, don’t be so modest. You love when I spread my legs.”  
“I love it more when you shut your mouth.” The blonde answered smoothly as his hand was pushed out of the other’s line of sight. When his phone dinged, Bokuto picked it up and looked over, the message. A deep sigh fell from his lips as he discarded the message off his screen, not wishing to be bothered. “Daniel again?” Kuroo asked as Tsukishima got up and left the room, a phone pressed to his ear. “Yeah, sadly. He doesn’t know when to stop. It’s like… I could go back to him at any moment. I know I shouldn’t but I can’t stop thinking about him.” Flopping with his back on the couch, he grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest. “But now, I can’t stop thinking about Akaashi, either… I’ve never seen him look so tense than he did in that moment. I mean, he wouldn’t flinch at the slightest thing, yet there he was hiding in some booth from someone.”  
“Maybe that someone is what he meant by got into some shit. Is he safe?” “No idea…” He sighed a bit and opened his phone looking over the many texts on his screen. “Kou, I’m sorry. It was a misunderstanding, really, I promise.” He read in a nasally, mocking tone that sounded nothing like his ex-lover.  
“Yeah, a misunderstanding that led to sex on your own bed with another person.” Kuroo said, taking a drink of his tea as Tsukishima sat back down, leaning into him. “Block him, Bokuto.”“You’re right, I proba—“ He was cut off by the sound of a buzzer signaling that someone was trying to get into his apartment. He got up and walked over, pressing the answer button to see who it was. “He—Akaashi?” Wide, steely eyes flushed with fear looked into the screen, “Bokuto-san, let me in, please. I need your help.” His voice was pleading and terror dripped from his voice. A shiver went down his back as he turned off the camera and shoved his shoes on, “I’ll be back!” He called before running out the door and running as quickly as he could down the 10 flights of stairs to reach the front. 

When the screen one black, Akaashi panicked. He could hear Seth getting closer as he continued to press the call button. “No…no…” And before he knew it, there was Seth, rounding the corner. His body stilled as the other slowed his pace and walked slower. Akaashi, frozen in fear, couldn’t bring himself to move. _Move, Keiji. What are you doing? Move._ He urged himself but still, he was unable. Before he knew it, there was cold, tan hand wrapped around his neck, pushing him to the brick wall behind him. A cold-blooded sneer curled on the red head’s lips, “Finally.” And with that, he pulled his arm behind his head. Keiji closed his eyes and braced for the impact and excruciating pain. 

There was the sound of metal hitting the ground and punches being thrown and before he knew it, Seth was being slammed against the same brick wall he was glued to. After a moment, Keiji opened his eyes, and what greeted him sent a flash of relief through him. Against the wall was Seth, blood dripping from his nose, Bokuto’s fists, tangled in his shirt. “I don’t know who the fuck you are…” The older male’s voice was deep and rough, “But I swear to God, if I ever see you near him again, I will not stop after getting you against the wall.” He was treating deeply, staring intently into the eyes of the offender. He shook him and banged his back against the wall, “Do I make myself clear?!” He yelled, voice piercing like daggers into the silent night surrounding them. Seth nodded his head. After a calming breath, Botkuto let him go and took a step back before punching him once again in the face. “Get away from here.” He muttered and walked over to Akaashi. Seth, taking a quick look around, ran off the way he came. 

Akaashi, still feeling the shock sinking into his bones, fell to his knees, tears streaming from his eyes. “Hey…” Bokuto muttered, softly, kneeling in front of the other, “C’mon, Akaashi… Let's get you inside.” He encouraged gently, brushing stray hair behind his ear. The raven nodded his head and made slowly to his feet, knees almost buckling beneath him. Bokuto, caught him, placing an arm around his hips and moving the other’s arm around his shoulders. Slowly, they walked into the building and made it into the apartment. Bokuto sat him down and wrapped a blanket around him before going over to his computer, “Sorry about that. I gotta go.”  
“Bokuto…”Tsukishima asked, eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay? You’re bleeding.” It was only then that he noticed the blood dripping from his temple. He wiped it away, ignoring the sting. “I’ll call tomorrow.” And with that, he hung up. Akaashi, having pulled the blanket around himself tightly, had managed to fold his knees to his chest, shivers racking his body. “Thank you, Bokuto-San…” He whispered, voice hoarse. “Let me get you some tea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so short, I was originally planning a few long chapters but now I think I'm just gonna do more short chapters because it'll be easier for me to keep up with. Thanks for reading! Sorry for any errors, I'm really tired.
> 
> Yell at me on Tumblr to finish this. corruptyaoiowl.tumblr.com


	3. Ocean Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Akaashi and Bokuto reveal their stories.
> 
> I realize the formatting is a little bit off but honestly, I'm too lazy to fix it. My bad guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u5gDCNwTiw

Akaashi sipped quietly at the tea that was in his hands. He took a deep breath and looked at the grey-haired man who sat across from him. “I suppose I owe you an explanation, Bokuto-san.” He muttered against the rim of his mug, his fingers gripping the ceramic tightly. “You don’t have to right now. But I just want to know his name.” he answered calmly, worry set in his features. While normally, Bokuto would have been bouncing off the walls to have Akaashi visit him at his home, the evening’s events wouldn’t allow such an atmosphere. “Why do you need to know it?” The raven asked, defense setting in his tone. 

Akaashi shouldn't have been getting defensive. Afterall, Bokuto just wanted to help him. But, he didn’t understand. He didn’t understand how dangerous that would end up being if they didn’t play their cards right. “Maybe because he was about to smash your kneecaps with a crowbar.” Akaashi couldn’t argue that point as much as he wanted to. “Bokuto-san, you don’t understand.” “Okay, first, enough with the honorific. It’s unnecessary. Secondly, what is there to not understand? He assaulted you. And don’t say he didn’t do anything because your cheek is black and blue.” Bokuto countered, his voice finding itself to be more agitated than anything. Akaashi’s expression remained unchanged as he looked into golden eyes, “Do you remember when I told you earlier today that I got into some shit? He was that shit. He was the beginning of all of it and now there’s more than just him that I’m worried about and I don’t want them coming after you, too, Bokuto,” His voice remained level through the hoarseness despite the adrenaline that still rushed through his veins. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. “’Kaashi…”  
“Seth… Seth Long.”

Bokuto shut his mouth, whatever words that were on his tongue stifled by the quick succession of words from the other’s mouth. “I met him the year you left. We started dating. When I graduated, we moved in together. A few months before that happened… he fell into the wrong crowd.” Akaashi spoke softly, avoiding eye contact. Whether it was embarrassment about his past or shame that he let it go on like it had, he had no idea. Either way, he found it hard to look at the man in front of him. “He started doing drugs. Started to abuse me. First just verbally… then the hitting started. Never where anyone could see, and if he did manage to bruise my neck up, I just wore a turtleneck or didn’t leave the apartment. One day, he threatened to hurt me if I didn’t get high with high… So, I did. That began my downward spiral. I was a new grad with a new job but I was fired for failure to report to work too many times.” He laughed cynically at himself, “Can you believe it? Me. Keiji Akaashi, getting high and not showing up to work because of _some guy?_ " He kept his head down and took another sip of the hot tea. It was made the way he liked it in high school; he wasn’t surprised that Bokuto remembered. “I finally left him two months ago. I detoxed then got a job at Target because no hospital is going to hire a drug-addicted nurse...” his voice turned sour and bitter before he cleared his throat and continued on. “I haven’t seen him in two weeks until today… I may have said a name or two I wasn’t supposed to.” Then, he fell quiet. 

Staring into the dark liquid below him, Akaashi still couldn’t bring himself to look at Bokuto. The silence in the room settled; it wasn’t uncomfortable, but Akaashi wished his host would say something. After a few moments, the older male spoke up, “Stay here.” That got the other’s attention. His head snapped up and his face contorted into a look of confusion, irritating the blooming bruise on his cheek. “He obviously knows where to find you. What if I didn’t run into you today? Where would you have gone?” Akaashi swallowed hard and nodded his head, “I suppose… but I don’t want to intrude on you, Bokuto. I really just needed a place for the night.” The words were quiet but they spoke volumes. Emotions were never Akaashi’s strong suit. He didn’t show them in grandeur expression like _some_ people, but in small words. Reaching out for help was one common way from him to express what he was bottling up. 

Bokuto sighed and rubbed his eyes, “It wouldn’t be imposing. I would rather have you here. We can go to your place tomorrow when I get back from practice and get a few of your things then get you situated here until we can figure out what to do about him.” His eyes darted to the clock, 12:34. They talked for a little while longer before Akaashi was having trouble keeping his eyes open. After he had called his boss and explained the situation, he was given the day off since someone had covered his shift. Bokuto lead him to the guest room and lent him a pair of sweats that were, surprisingly, well-fitted. “They’re an ex’s.” He explained as he laid a t-shirt on the bed. That, however, was Bokuto’s and the only reason Akaashi knew was because it was a Fukurodani t-shirt from their club days. ‘Thank you, Bokuto.”  
“Of course.” The other smiled widely before heading to the door, “If you need anything, my room is just down the hall. Goodnight, ‘Kaashi.”  
“Goodnight.”

~

It was 11:45 am when Akaashi woke, somehow sleeping through his alarms. It was, however, some of the most restful sleep he’d had in months, but he wasn’t too surprised. When he woke, he was greeted with the smell of something cooking and the sound of…singing? He got out of bed and made it look more presentable before heading out of the bedroom and following the sound. He was greeted with Bokuto wearing a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a graphic tee. Indeed, the sound he heard was signing. He didn’t much take Bokuto for a singer, but he had to admit: it wasn’t bad. Akaashi recognized the song, Ocean Eyes, as it had become more popular on the radio recently. 

There was something about the older man’s voice that made Akaashi’s heart wrench slightly. It sounded like pain…like a deep understanding of the song, or at least a deep interpretation. It was solemn and not as upbeat as the raven would have expected from his friend. He cleared his throat as he walked into the kitchen and sat at one of the barstools near the island. “Oh, morning, ‘Kaashi!” Bokuto’s lips broke into a wild smile, any hint of discontent washing off his featured. “Good morning. What are you making?” “Nanohana no Karashiae. I got the karashiae fresh this morning after practice.” “You didn’t have to—“ “But I wanted to. You had a rough night. Your favorite food is always the best comfort food.” He said as he slid a plate towards Akaashi. It was then that his phone rang. He checked it and sighed deeply. “Excuse me, Akaashi.” And with that, face sobering, he went into the other room. 

From the kitchen, Akaashi tried not to listen to the half of the conversation he was able to hear. “Dan—no, I – listen, Daniel, it’s – would you stop?” There was agitation lining his voice before he took a deep breath, “It’s over. Would you please just come pick up your stuff?” That’s when Akaashi looked down at the bottoms he was wearing as curiosity filled his head. It went quiet in the next room over before Bokuto began to speak again. Looking around the room, Akaashi noticed a picture frame that was face down. Curiosity getting the better of him, he got up and walked over to the counter. 

When he picked up the frame, he was greeted with the picture of two men. One of them was Bokuto, his head thrown back in what was probably a boisterous laugh. The other person in the photo was about Akaash’s height, maybe a few centimeter’s shorter. He was wrapped up in the other’s arms, his cheek pressed against the other’s chest, a fond smile on his face. “I see you found Daniel.” 

Akaashi jumped a bit when he heard the other’s voice. “I – I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.” He apologized, handing the frame back over to Bokuto who brushed his thumb against it, a fond but pained smile pulled at the corner of his lips, “It’s okay… It’s been about three months. I should be over him now, you would think.” He sighed and put the frame face down again and got himself a plate of food and sat down at the island across from where Akaashi had been sitting before. Akaashi sat down again and began to eat his food. “He cheated on me…” He other muttered, and suddenly, it made sence to Akaashi why Bokuto had seemed calmer than he remembered. “I was gonna propose to him about three weeks after I found him in my bed with someone else. But I guess I wasn't supposed to marry him if he wanted to sleep with someone else. “And, no, those aren’t his sweats.” Behind the smile shot his way, Akaashi could see the pain in the other’s eyes. “I’m sorry.” “Not your fault.” He smiled brightly, this one reaching his eyes a little more than the last one, “Now eat. We have to go get your stuff.” “What about the police?” “I already handled it. They’ll be calling tomorrow for your side of the story.”


End file.
